Svalbard Science Forum (SSF)

Objectives:

The Svalbard Science Forum (SSF) promotes coordination and collaborative efforts in research activities in Svalbard. This includes managing the “Research in Svalbard” (RiS) database which contains information relating to several thousand Svalbard-based projects. The SSF also organizes workshops and administers funding schemes targeted towards the polar research community, while continuously working to minimize the environmental footprint of research activities.

The goals of SSF’s funding programs
SSF’s two funding programs aim to stimulate data collection and inter-disciplinary as well as international cooperation within research in Svalbard.

Arctic Field Grants - Fieldwork support for students and researchers collecting data in Svalbard (and Jan Mayen).

Svalbard Strategic Grants - Seed money for workshops and collaborative activities to enhance international and inter-disciplinary cooperation, initiate pilot studies for planning of larger projects and stimulate open sharing of data.

Strategic objectives
SSF announces funding for fieldwork, workshops, and collaborative activities that relate and promote SSF’s strategic objectives for research in Svalbard:

Increased scientific cooperation within Svalbard Research

Increased coordination of activities

Open sharing of data

Reduced environmental impact

This programme/activity normally accepts grant applications from:

Norwegian research institutions, Universities and University Colleges, applying on behalf of Norwegian and international partners.